Rich checks out a potentially life saving gadget that helps the deaf “see” sounds.
A tech startup called Wavio is helping the deaf “see” sounds. The company was started by three deaf men to tackle the issue of recognizing sounds in the home.
We spoke to one of the co-founders, Spencer Montan:
“I went through a flooding in my house while my family was out of town and I was unable to hear the water pipes busting and the water flooding the house. Having this kind of technology is really a shift in the way we live, we have less stressors and we have more peace of mind,” explained Montan.
Brandon Marin, Greyson Watkins, Spencer Montan
The Wavio app uses artificial intelligence to identify over 500 sounds. The hardware listens for things like a crying baby, security alarms and even glass breaks. As soon as it recognizes a sound, it sends a visual notification to a user’s phone.
Wavio works as an app on its own or in conjunction with a smart home device called See Sound. See Sound plugs into your wall at home and listens for anything. Once a sound occurs, the See Sound device interprets the noise and communicates via WiFi to your mobile device.
Since it’s still being tested Wavio hopes to be available to consumers by the start of next year!